Sunday Service

Let us pray. Heavenly Father we pray that you would Pour Out Among Us. Your promise Holy Spirit today Disturbed within his wisdom and the courage to hear from you. We listen to your words now blessed both the speaking in the hearing of your work in Jesus name. Amen.

They were explorers.

Was the late 1800s they had come to go to the edge of the world to a new place where they had never been before to conquer a new land. It traveled a long way. I've been on board ships for a long time tips for a little ripe if you know what I mean by the time they got to where they were going. I was great joy, they all disembark the ships and they went ashore and they looked at this land and it was a good land. It was a land that had fruit trees right by the shore and they ate their fill and they breathe fresh air and they swam in the water. That for several days the captain came to them and said now. Now it's time for us to go through the wood. I just see what lies on the other side and to conquer it. To take possession of this land.

That's what the men did to. I just kind of looked at him like

so they said a captain. We just need a few more days to recuperate and rest. Another week went by and they swam and they enjoyed the fresh fruit and they breathe the fresh air. He gathered all the men together. And you said it's time to go. It's time to go through the wood and the Concord this new land. And we can't see but whatever. Is there We Will Conquer it take control.

Men just looked at it. Torn between their desire to get back on the ships and go home.

the daddy gave the signal Who is generals who were on board the ships? the burn the ships in the presence of all his men standing on the beach. They saw the ships burning behind them and it was no longer an option.

Not go back. The only option left for them was to go into the wood and conquer the land.

Today, I'm just 10th anniversary of New Creation. It's a day to burn the ships.

It's a day to remember that we can no longer go backwards. You can only go forward. It will land that we don't know. Into a culture that looks scary and overwhelming. We've been talkin about for the many weeks now that the church is unhindered. If there's nothing that can stand in the way of the church the book of Acts gives us a beautiful model of an unhindered Church persecution couldn't hinder it. Racial Prejudice couldn't indrid nothing but hinder the church.

All couldn't even be hindered by his own weaknesses.

Nothing. I was going to hinder the church.

except beer

here was the only thing that had the power to hinder the church. Leaving fear was overcome. Jesus told his disciples they have no fear for he had overcome the world.

Today, we looked at the Transfiguration of Christ and we hear those familiar words spoken from Heaven. This is my son. My well, please. Those words are echoed from the baptism of Jesus. In Mark chapter 1 we hear these words. In Those Jeans, Jesus came from Nazareth to Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water immediately, he saw the heavens being torn open and a spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from the heaven. You are my beloved Son. With you I am well pleased.

That strike you as a little odd. You are my beloved Son with you. I am well pleased.

What is Stan?

Miracles he performed what people as he healed. Who is he taught?

He's had to start his ministry yet. And the father looks at him and said with you I am well pleased.

Or what?

We might say in Jesus case. coming down or just showing up. for being present or that the father was well pleased.

There's more to it than that. Be the father knew. heart of the Sun You knew not only had he showed up.

Turn up with purpose. You showed up for a reason. He showed up with a mission and he came prepared to carry out that mission. So today we can hear those words of the father echo through the building. He says you are my beloved children of you. I am well pleased. And not just because you showed up.

Because your people with a heart permission.

It never struck me until this morning just a few moments ago. Pastor Don was reading the words of our Bissell today words that I've not only read hundreds of times but have used in my prayer many many times since coming to New Creation. Edwards you all know Therefore if anyone is in Christ. He is a new creation. The old has passed away and behold the new has come.

It never struck me until a day. the dead verse not only talks about Who We Are this new creation of Christ New Creation Lutheran Church But it speaks of who we were.

Anyone is in Christ.

and if you remember the name of this church was Christ Lutheran Church if anyone is in Christ, hello. Everyone is here Christ Lutheran. You are now a new creation in Christ.

And so we knew name was given.

And many would say well. It's just a name change. change letterhead be new Shinedown

But we didn't. more than you became a new congregation. I think that was our first burn the ships day. Today ten years ago when we said we're putting the past behind us.

That's not to say that there weren't some wonderful memories from Christ Lutheran Church. great things that happened And if you were baptized to Christ Lutheran Church. Your children were baptized to Christ Lutheran Church. You were confirmed at Christ Lutheran Church.

And if you were here when what happened to Christ Lutheran Church?

Your family members laughed and walked away. You're here for hard days and easy days Days of plenty of days of wanting.

And then a new day cake. and years ago new day k and while nobody might have said the words.

I thought was there. Let's burn the ships.

We are no longer going back. We are going forward. So today again. We burn the ships. We move forward. Today we start a new challenge as we begin these next 10 years of ministry.

I want you to remember this day. with this question What if Jesus meant what he said?

What is those words of Jesus? When he says to us. I am the way the truth and the life what if you meant that? What is those words of Jesus that said to us never will I leave you never will I forsake you what if he meant that?

his words when he said you will be my disciples if you have love for one another.

enough that

What is she said to us in our sin and our weakness rise and sin no more?

about when he said to us

if you do not build your house wisely. On a solid foundation a storm will come. It will be at that house. Wash that house away.

What is cement?

What if you meant you are either for me or you are against me if you are not one of my followers.

You are my enemy.

What is cement? I will come again and take you to be where I am.

read words I remember getting my first red letter edition of the Bible. How many of you had a red letter Edition the Bible at some point in your life where all the words of Jesus off the page and they were intended that way they were intended to stand out. The reason they did that was to show people that this is what really matters. The red letters. That's it.

We did Ministry in South Bend for a number of years. And while we were there there was a group meeting at Notre Dame University.

this group met quasi in secret and someone in public they were called the Jesus project. Sounds like a good name.

And they looked at all the red letter words of Jesus.

And then they voted.

Did he say that I mean did he say that? And they would go line-by-line through the red letter words of the Bible and then they would come up and they would pass a bag. Very sophisticated system is a leather bag and they would pass it among all the delegates and the delegates held in their hand to wooden bowls black and white. They would come by and just a bag would come by they would reach their hand in and drop whichever Bowl they wanted in the bag would go on.

And at the end they would open the bag. And judging by the number of black or white balls. They would say that is valid or not.

We went through all of his words. Less than 40% of his words remain. Presley said we're just not sure. We don't think they count.

Is a Versailles used to begin every sermon when I was a youth pastor with? Anyone to repeat these words after me all scripture. is god-breathed and is useful. for teaching rebuking correcting and training in righteousness So that's a man of God.

that means ladies to may be fully equipped. for every good work

all scripture Is god-breathed even the red letters, especially the red letters? Are God breathed for us? And so now we enter this red letter Challenge and we have opportunity to look at the red letter words of Christ.

And we get to see what they tell us.

Zach zehnder spent six years looking at the red letter words of Christ. Trying to see once how much of those words had kind of embedded themselves into his life. He said he began to see kind of a pattern in the words that they really kind of talked about several different themes. So he started to write down in and a separate some of the verses into those themes and the CMC came up with are the five themes that will be looking at in the red letter Edition. and I may have to have you control this from the back because when I do it my thing crashes and then it wants to leave this slide, but those five areas are being forgiving serving giving and going.

as we just talked about you are my beloved children with you. I am well pleased. And we haven't even done anything yet.

He says that to every child baptized in the water and word of holy baptism. He says with you I am well pleased and they haven't done anything yet. In fact, if they have done anything, it hasn't necessarily all been well pleasing. Let's face it.

There are days on our way to church.

We have arguments in the car. Even if we're coming alone, we've Arguments for the driver ahead of us. Who doesn't think he needs to signal to get off? Who thinks that stop lights are optional?

We get here and we walk into this room.

and God says you are my beloved child. If you I am well pleased. ear What does it mean to be in Christ? The first part of the red letter challenge will look at what it means to just well in Christ to be in Christ.

Come on move on to what is probably at the heart in center of Jesus ministry, and that is wonderful giveness.

Jesus extends grace and mercy over and over and over. The people who buy our estimation and buy our discernment, we're not worthy of his grace.

ugly people like us and yes, he comes to us and speaks words of forgiveness.

And he calls us to serve. Go and be his hands and feet to the world around us. He demonstrated and showed his love for us, but he came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. So the challenge will be for us to be people of service serving one another. and we will look at giving

this is probably the Sunday. I'll be honest will probably have the lowest attendance we ever have in church on giving Sunday. hard week

I don't think there is such a thing as a stingy disciple.

there a lot of people that try and live that way perhaps

we're going to see in this challenge The Joy the power the strength the blessing that comes from being as Jesus would call us to be giving disciples.

and then Grand Finale Last Mark of the disciples just to go. Thanks for coming now goal. Jesus says to his disciples go and make disciples of all Nations and we've all learned those words. We probably memorized and we probably could say the Great Commission together for memory in this room. Although I don't know that we always get the context of what he saying. He doesn't say you should leave this room. You should go out and have a checklist make disciples. And you walk around all day with your checklist going on right now. I'm going to do step one of making a disciple step one says find someone who's not a disciple. So I'm going to go find someone who's not a disciple. That's not what he calls us to do. He says I want you to go and as you're going. As you're just doing life. make disciples

don't speak come out. Michael Jordan or although there's nothing wrong with that. I don't think that's his best method. He says that you're just going out. Who makes disciples? tells us how we baptize them in the name of the father Son and the Holy Spirit teaching them to obey everything. He has commanded.

It's our calling. B forgive serve give-and-go

exact launch this program. He interviewed people. On the street and just ask them. What's your view of the Christian church? What do you think of people who call themselves Disciples of Jesus?

He was really curious to see if any of these words would come Emma.

uranium

are there judgemental? angry bitter fighting Hippocrates your lots of words, but none of them. He thought really V. That's what convinced you more and more that there is a need for us as Disciples of Christ to know who it is. We are called to be who it is. We are called to live.

That others might see a different.

Other times at churches judgmental, unfortunately, yes. Is there time the church is hypocritical? Yes. Actually everyday. It's full of Hypocrites. That's why we're here.

We know that God calls us to one thing and yet we tend to live and another thing we call that confession and Absolution we come before God we so, you know, I know I haven't done where you told me to. I want you to forgive me and help me do better.

In this red letter challenge, I pray that you will be encouraged. You will be strengthened. more and more you will know what it's like to be a disciple of Jesus Christ as you go and live your life.

But it's hard to do this alone. It's hard to do life alone.

And I'm convinced it's even harder to look critically at those things of God calls us to do alone. That's why I want to encourage you in two ways one. I want to encourage you to continue to join us on Sunday morning through this challenge.

And I want to encourage you to come and join us for Bible study.

And if the Bible study times that we have out there don't work for you. And so you know, what? Why don't I try and see if I can find some people that will do this with me. Will help you with that will try and find some people maybe you can meet at a coffee shop, or maybe you can open your home and just all meet there. And go through the lessons of the 40 days of challenge, but I want to encourage you to make the most of this opportunity. I really believe this is a burn the ship kind of moment for New Creation. And years old and it's time to look forward. Time to move ahead and they're God's great grace and favor and recognize that we are children of God with whom he is well pleased.

The our mission moving forward in this day be to ponder anew. What the almighty can do?

Bible says he can do more than we can ever. Hope dream or imagine. I'm looking forward to those days. I don't know about you. amen

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